Valle de Guadalupe: Mexico's Answer to Napa

Many Americans looking to explore Baja beeline to the beaches of Los Cabos. That's a shame, because Valle de Guadalupe, one of Baja’s true gems—and safer locales—lies to the north, striking distance from the California border.

With fear the emotion that still dominates the conversation about the U.S.–Mexico border, many Americans exploring Baja beeline to the beaches of Los Cabos. That's a shame, because one of Baja’s true gems—and safer locales—lies to the north, striking distance from the California border. The Valle de Guadalupe, often called the Napa or Tuscany of Baja, is just a four-hour drive from Los Angeles (if you time the traffic right), and it's stocked with enough local wines, fresh foods, and gorgeous views to rival other wine destinations. Plus, it's incredibly laid-back, even during high season. American tourists, in particular, seem to just be waking up to all the riches the valley has to offer. Check out a few of our picks for where to eat and drink while you're there…

What to eat

Eating in the valley is a locavore’s fantasy. The best restaurants, which opt for a contemporary Mediterranean-Californian vibe, make a point of serving produce, cheese, meats, and wines from nearby farms and vineyards, with seafood brought in from Ensenada, a fishing city just a half-hour away.

From summer through early fall, chefs across Baja open pop-up restaurants on the vineyards. For lunch, try Deckman’s, the open-air kitchen and cluster of tables gazing out over the vines at the Mogor Badan vineyard. You'll find small plates of whatever’s fresh, whether that's quail or scallops. For dinner, the more upscale LAJA has long been considered a local must—competing chef Drew Deckman even called the place "his favorite restaurant in Mexico." Four- and eight-course meals pair with local wines.

Driving around tasting wine is an easy way to pass the weekend and work up an appetite. Casa de Piedra (93.5 Carretera Tecate Ensanada; 52-646-156-5268; acpiedra@prodigy.net.mx), whose owner Hugo D’Acosta helped revive the valley’s wine scene in the late 1990s, is a local institution and offers tastings by appointment. So does Paralelo (usateam@paralelomexico.com), another D’Acosta spot known for its sleek design that relies on repurposed materials. At Mogor Badan (Km. 85.5, Tecate-Ensenada Highway), try the Chasellas, a crisp white made from grapes rarely grown outside of Switzerland.

When to go

August is when tourist season peaks, especially during a two-week series of harvest parties, Las Fiestas de Vendimia, when Baja’s best chefs, including Plasencia, host multi-course dinner parties attended by the Mexican elite. Tickets to the events can sell out quickly, and most of the information is only in Spanish. Expect jacked-up room prices.

With Vendimia over, September’s a great month to head down—before things get too sleepy in the late fall or close down altogether in winter.